This book gives a lucid and up-to-date overview of language change. It discusses where our evidence about language change comes from, why and how changes happen, and why and how languages begin and end. It considers not only changes which occurred many years ago, but also those currently in progress. It does this within the framework of one central question – is language change a symptom of progress or decay? It concludes that language is neither progressing nor decaying, but that an understanding of the factors causing change is essential for anyone involved with language alteration